Gas burner



T. E.'. WOOD Aug. 18, 1936.

GAS BURNER Filed May 31, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l Tba/7107517000' Aug. 18 1936. woo &051,431

- GAS BURNER Filed 'May 51 1934 3 Shets-Sheet 2 Mama; [Wood Patented Aug. 18, 1 936 UNITED, STATES GAS BURNER Thomas Eugene Wood,

Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Manufacturers Light and Heat Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a Corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 31, 1934, Serial No. '728,417

6 Claims.

This invention relates to gas burners and more particularly to a devce for burning gas at high temperatures and absorbing the heat therefrom by radiation, and to controlling the amount of gas supplied to the burner in accordance with the temperature produced.

One object of the invention is to provide a gas burner for converting a coal fired furnace into a gas fired furnace so as to supply heat from the burner to the furnace or boiler walls or tubes by. radiation.

Another object of the invention is to automatically regulate" the amount of gas supplied to the burner in accordance with the temperature produced by the heat from the furnace or boiler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a thermostatically controlled device for automatically regulating the amount of gas and air supplied to a furnace in accordance with the temperature of a room heated by said furnace.

A further object is to' utilize the pressure of the gas supplied to the furnace for Operating the gas or air regulating device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a safety device for disconnecting said burner from the gas supply in the event of gas pressure failure with consequent failure of a pilot fiame and maintaining said burner disconnected until said device is manually released.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an assembly drawing partly in section;

Figure 2 is a detail of the thermostatically operated valve;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of the regulating diaphragm and safety diaphragm chambers;

Figure 4 is a detail in perspective of the regulating diaphragm Washer;

Figures 5 and 6 are details in perspective of a safety diaphragm Washer and screw respectively;

Figure 7 is a detail of the connections to the regulating diaphragm showing the safety latch;

Figure 8 is a horizontal cross section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a horizontal cross section of the air and gas valve assembly;

Figure 10 is an end elevation partly in section of the air and gas valve assembly looking toward the right in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a horizontal cross section of the gas valve taken on line ll-ll of Figure 9; and

Figure 12 is a horizontal cross section of the air valve taken on line l2-l2 of Figure 9.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, lo indicates in general the gas and air regulating mechanism and ll indicates in general the 6 furnace. The gas and air regulating mechanism includes a gas intake pipe l2, an intake valve !3, a thermostatc orifice valve I4, a pressure regulator |5, a controller IE, an orifice member ll, a gas and air valve assembly l8 and linkage 10 |9 between the controller !6 and the gas and air valve assembly l8. The furnace includes furnace walls 20, a gas burner 2| and a refractory combustion chamber 22.

The gas inlet pipe l2 is connected to the pres- 15' sure regulator !5 through the shut-off valve l3. The pressure regulator !5 is effective to reduce the gas pressure of the inlet pipe |2 to a lower, substantially constant pressure suitable for supplying the burner 2l. This pressure reducer 2 may be of any conventional form and will not be described in detail. The thermostatic valve [4 as shown in Figure 2 comprises a spring retracted valve member 23 having a head 24 which may close an orifice 25. The valve member 23 25 is biased to open position by a spring 26. The valve member 23 may be operated by an ex panding bellows 29 connected by means of a tube 36 to a liquid chamber 3l positioned in a room being heated by the furnace or at any 30' other position, the temperature of which is infiuenced by the heat from the urnace ll. The thermostatic valve l4 is connected to the' gas pressure supply through a tube 32 and has its other side connected to the regulating diaphragm chamber 33, contained in the controller !6, by means of tubes 34 and 35 through a fitting H which is provided with a bleeder orifice 36.

As shown in Figure 3, the controller !6 comprises a central circular member 31 having a concave upper surface and a circular cover member 38 having a concave lower surface, defining between them the regulating diaphragm chamber 33. A disk-shaped regulating diaphragm 39 has its edges positioned between the central member 31 and the cover member 38 which are secured together in gas-tight relationship. The diaphragm 39 has a central aperture 40 through which extends a control plunger 4| which is secured to the diaphragm by washers 42 positioned above and below the diaphragm 39 and between a shoulder 43 and a nut 44 screwthreaded upon a threaded extension 45 of the controller plunger 4l. The controller plunger 'ends to the upper end of the plunger 41.

M extends upwardlythrough asleeve 46 screwthreaded into a central aperture in the cover member 33. The sleeve is provided with diametricaily opposed slots ii through which extends a link 558, forming part of the linkage !9. The link 68 is pivoted at 39 intermediate its The plunger di is also provided with a shoulder 50 which is engaged by the gravityactuated safety latch Et to maintain the diaphragm in its ,lowerm'ost position after the failure of gas pressure' as will be hereafter more clearly explained. The safety iatch E is pivotaily mounted at 52 on a bracket 53 carried by the sleeve 45. 'The sleeve 45 is provided atits upper end with a threaded cap 5:3 having an axial threaded aperture receiving an adjusting screw 55 for adjusting the limit of travel oi the plunger H The link 48 has one end pivotally connected at 56 to the upper end of a Vertical link 51 which has its other end. pivctaliy connected at 58 to the peripheral edge of the cover member 38 The otherend of the link 48 is pivotally connected at 59 to the upper end of a Vertical link E!! which has its lower end pivotally connected at' c: to one 1 end of a' lever &Ewhich is pivotally connected at' ss to a bracket 64 carried by the air* and gas valve assembiy' !8. i

The controiier !G also includes a lower circular member %having an upper concave surface..

The lower member 55 is attachedto the lower *side of the central member 31 so as to provide a.

central member 31 is provided with a central aperture 68 throughwhich the'threaded exten- "sion i of the controlier plunger dl may extend when the diaphragm 33 is in its iowermost position. The diaphragm 61 is provided With circular washers 63 positioned upon opposite sides of `the diaphragm and secured in position by means of a bolt i@ extending through the diaphragm and washers and provided with a head 'H adapted to contact with the extension 45` of the plunger ti. The safety diaphragm chamber 66 is connected by means of a pipe 61 With a pipe %leading from the pressure regulator* !5 to the gas and air valve assembly [8.

The gas and air valve assembly 18 comprises. a

The housing 12 is provided with an extension ?a which is screw-threaded internally at 'M to receive one end of the pipe &8.7

The extension 73 is also provided with a vertii end th'ereofr y ger 19.

i the burner ?i i cal bore 715 to receive a bushing '5.6 extending. through said bore and retained in position by means of a nut '51 serew-threaded upon the lower The bushing 75. is provided with a bore ?8 to receive a gas valve plunger' 19 The bushing 75 is further provided with an. enlarged heada'v'hich is screw-threaded to receive a packing nut sl to provide ?for a gas-tight sliding connection between the bushing 15 and the plun- The bushing ?6. is further provided with. diametrically opposed apertures 82 and 83. which arevaligned respectively with the pipe 68 and a pipe 847 extending through the housing 12 'to The plunger 19 is pivotaly connected at 85 with a vertical 1ink-86 pivotally connectedat' 81 with the lever 62. An adjusting screw si' extends axially into ascrew-threaded 'bore in the lower end of the bushing 15 and functions .as an adjustable stop to determine the minimum closing of the gas valve. It wiIl be noted that the discharge from the bleeder orifice 36 is conducted to the pipe 84 through a pipe 88'.

'termine the. amount of air admitted and is carried by an axial. pIunger 92 screw-threaded at 93 into the center of the valve el. The plunger 92 extends `tp wardly through the cover 89 and is pivotally connected at 94 to one end of a link 95 which has its other end pivotally connected at se to one end of? the lever 62..

In operatiom. gas isdeivered from the: pipe I: through the pressure regulator |5 to the gas valve 13 and then through the pipe 84 to the' burner 21 Air is supplied through the air valve 88 into the chamber 12. and thence. into the furnace: tL The pressure regulator 15 Supplies gas at constant pressure to the gas valve 13 and also to the: safety diaphragm chamber 66 It Wii-I be noted that the orifice 25 of the thermostatic control valve !4 and the orifice 36- of the fitting t'i are con-nected in series between the gas supply pipe [2 and the pipe 84 leading to' the burner 2l. Also the controller* diaphragm chamber 33 is connected between the orifices 25 and 36 so that pressure in the pipe 34 between these orifices will tend to raise' the diaphragm 39. size, an increase in the area of the orifice 25 will cause an increase in pressure in' the'di'aphragm chamber 33 and an upward movement' of the diaphragm 39 which, through the controller plunger M and the linkage l9,wi11 rai-se the gas valve plunger 19' to admit more gas to the burner and. lower the air valve plunger 92 to admit more air to the furnace. It will be noted from Figure 2 that an increase i n temperature upon the liqui'd in the chamber 3! willcause an expansion thereof and a movement of the thermostatic valve plunger 23 in a direction to close the orice 25. This' will cause a drop in the pressure in the regulating diaphragm chamber 33 which will result in the downward movement of the control plunger ll due to gravity and a closing motion of the gas and 'air valve piungersto decrease the amount of air and fuel supplied to the furnace'. The

adjusting screw 81' of the gas valve limitsthe,

closing motion of the gas valve. plunger 29'? so as to provide a minimum supply of gas to the 60 Since `the orifice 3'6 is a'constant burner so as: to maintain a small flame func-` tioning as a pilot flame. The same adjusting screw 81 acts through the linkage IS tomainflame. This: minimum suppl y of air may be further adjusted by adjusting the air valve 9! or its pilunger 92. Also the adjustng screw 55 at the top of the controller piunger sleeve 41* determines the maximum opening of the -gas and air valves. i

The safety' diaphragm chamber 66 is sup- 'tain a minimum supply of air for the pilot,

plied with gas under pressure from the pipe 58' diaphragm 61 in its uppermost ::position and the head 'H of the screw 10 acts to limit the downward motion of the diaphragm 39 'in normal operation. If the'gas pressureain pipe |2 fails the pressure in chamber 66 will also fail;

The safety diaphragm 61: will move downwardly by gravity. The failureof gas pressure in pipe !2 will also cause a pressure failure-in chamber 33 and diaphragm 39 will move downward 'under the influence of gravity sufficiently for the safety catch 5! toengage above'the shoulder-50 upon the control plunger 4l. This completely looks the gas and air controlling apparatus outof operation such that large quantities of gas cannot be supplied to the burner until the safety catch 5! is manually released.

The burner 2! is surrounded by a bame head support 91 of refractory material which is in turn supported by a metallic furnace ring 98 having a central aperture 99 through which extends the gas pipe 84. The burner ring 98 is further provided with apertures !00 for supplying air to the burner 2! and is supported upon legs e resting upon the furnace bottom. A bame head !92 of refractory material rests upon the bafile head support 91 above the burner and a baflie ring !03 of refractory material surrounds the baflle head and bame head support and is supported upon a ring of refractory material !04 which is in turn supported upon the furnace ring 98. The combustion chamber 22 comprises a series of courses of refractory material !55 forming a hollow checker-work supported upon the refractory ring 104. Spacers !06 are provided between the courses |G5 to permit the products of combustion to escape between said Courses and the entire refractory combustion chamber 22 is covered by a refractory slab !01.

In the operation of the furnace, the gas and air are mixed adjacent the burner 2! and are burned within the refractory combustion chamber 22 above and surrounding the battle head !02. During the process of combustion the gas is burned at a suficiently high temperature to crack the gas and liberate particles of free carbon because of the heating of the refractory combustion chamber and the extremely high temperature maintained therein. As combustion progresses further, the burning gases surrounding these particles of free carbon bring them to incandescence, thereby causing them to give off the heat liberated in combustion by radiation. The refractory material of the combustion chamber 22 receives this heat and in turn transmits it to the furnace or boiler walls 20 by radiation. Also the hot products of combustion escape through the spaces between the refraotory Courses !95 to come in contact with the furnace walls 20. It will'thus be seen that heat is transmitted to the boiler walls in a manner entirely analogous to the radiation from a coal fire and the hot products of the combustion therefrom. While the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is particularly applicable to domestic heating and is particularly useful in converting a coal fired furnace to a furnace adapted to burn gas, it is to be understood that the invention may be used other than for domestic heating and that the type of combustion chamber disclosed is capable of transmitting heat to heat absorbing devices other than the furnace walls. It is further to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise details herein disclosed but that modications 'may be made within the. scopetof* pressure, a. gas conduit between saidsupply and saidburner and having a gas regulating valve. therein, airconduit for supplying air to said furnace to mix with said gas at said burner, an air regulating valve 'in said air conduit, a temperature responsive means positioned to be influenced by heat fromsaid furnace, means .actuated by said temperature responsive means for ,Operating said gas and" air regulating valves tosimultaneously decrease the amount of gas and air supplied to said furnace when the temperature adjacent said temperature responsive means increases, means to close said gas and air valves upon failure of said gas pressure, and means to lock said valves in closed position until manually released.

2. A device for regulating the supply of gas to a gas burner comprising, a gas conduit from a source of gas supply under pressure to said burner, a gas regulating valve in said conduit, a diaphragm chamber, a gas regulating diaphragm in said chamber for Operating said valve, said diaphragm being subjected togas pressure, temperature responsive means for controlling the gas pressure upon said diaphragm, a second diaphragm in said chamber for limiting the valve closing movement of said regulating diaphragm, said second diaphragm being subjected to the gas pressure of said conduit on the inlet side of said valve.

3. A device for regulating the supply of gas to a gas burner comprising a gas conduit from a source of gas under pressure, said conduit having a gas regulating valve therein, fluid pressure operated means for actuating said regulating valve, temperature responsive means for controlling said fluid pressure, a gas pressure operated means for limiting the valve closing movement of said fluid pressure operated means, said gas pressure operated means being subjected to the gas pressure of said conduit on the inlet side of said valve.

4. In a device for controlling the amount of gas delivered to a gas burner from a source of gas under pressure, a conduit from said source to said burner, a pressure reducer and a gas regulating valve in said conduit, a secondconduit bypassing said pressure reducer and said valve, an adjustable orifice and a fixed orifice in said second conduit in series relationship temperature responsive means for decreasing the size of said adjustable orifice with increase in temperature, pressure operated means subjected to the pressure between said oriflces for actuating said gas regulating valve to decrease the amount of gas supplied to said burner with increase in temperature, and a second pressure operated means subjected to the pressure in said first conduit, said second fluid pressure operated means when subjected to pressure being positioned in the path of movement of the first pressure operated means for limiting the movement thereof in a direction to close said valve.

5. In a device for regulating the amount of gas supplied from a source of gas under pressure to a gas burner, a diaphragm chamber having a pair of spaced diaphragms positioned therein, a gas regulating valve operated by one of said diaphragms, said valve Operating diaphragm being subjected to gas pressure, temperature re- 75 gas pressure from said' gas source, said other dia'- phragm, when subjected to saidp essure from said source, being positioned to limit the'movement of 'said valve Operating daph'agm in the direction to close said valve, but permitting complete movement thereof when said gas pressure fails.

6.'In a device for regulating the amount of gas supplied from a source of gas under pressu'e i to a. gas burner, a. diaphragm chamber having a.

pair of spaced diaphragms positioned therein, a. gas regulating valveoperated by one of said dia- 16' phragms, said valve Operating diaphragm being subjected' 'to gs pressu'e, tmerature reson sve means for eontrolllng said gas 'pressure, the other of said diaphragms being subjected to gas pressue from said gas source, said other dia-.

phragm, when subjected to said pressure from said source. being positioned to limit the movement of said valveoperating diaphragm in the direction to close? said valve, but permitting complete movement thereof when said gas pressure fans, and' a latchcadapted to 'engage a. member moved by said valve Operating diaphragm when complete movement thereof occurs to lock said valve in closed position until manually released.

'I'HOMAS EUGENE WOOD. i 

